Alarm in Ibori’s camp as Oborevwori,Okowa, negotiate with APC

Rivers is next bull’s eye,  A-Ibom unclear; Edo, Cross River in the kitty

For those conversant with the penetrating manoeuvrings of  President Bola Tinubu and his carefully chosen strategists to commandeer the six states of the South-South ahead of 2007, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s cataclysmic wreck of the  People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ship in Delta State, and boarding the All Progressives Congress (APC) yacht on Wednesday was stroke of a genius.

The PDP controls four states of the South-South region up to last Wednesday when Oborevwori, joined by his predecessor, and vice-presidential candidate in the last presidential election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and other leaders reduced it to three apiece with the APC.

The PDP-controlled states in the region presently are Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states while the APC presides over Edo, Cross Rivers and now, Delta State.

Tinubu started the South-South “capture” last year with Edo when he halted the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, from fulfilling his desire to crown a PDP successor, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.

A former governor of the state and senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, who had scores to settle with his erstwhile friend, Obaseki, supervised the takeover Edo arrangement.

Obaseki, who fell out with Oshiomhole in his first tenure, dumped the APC for the PDP when Oshiomhole, as then National Chairman of the APC, denied him a second-term ticket.

He triumphed and led the PDP to take over Edo from the APC in 2020 with the then sitting president, Muhammadu Buhari, not interfering in the electoral process.

But Tinubu was not prepared to allow such in 2024.

He authorized the Oshiomhole–led team to terminate the Obaseki plan.

From the security to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, instructions were reportedly passed from above.

Obaseki cried blue murder after the election, shouting that the PDP won, but in the court, it became clearer to him that the power to decide what happens lies somewhere.

Governor Oborevwori, Senator Okowa, and other PDP leaders were involved with Obaseki in the fierce political combat to see the PDP retain Edo, and what ensued was clear to them.

APC leaders bragged about the plot before the election, and, according to the grand design, Delta is the next to go.

Political lesson

 A close associate of Tinubu and former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, who Okowa, as governor, sidelined in his choice of Oborevwori as successor, was more than ready to teach Okowa a political lesson.

Ibori’s daughter, Hon Erhiatake Suenu-Ibori, representing the Ethiope Federal Constituency, dumped the PDP in Delta and joined the APC last year.

Ibori did not officially announce his exit from the PDP, but his sympathy lies more with the APC since Okowa chose Oborevwori over his candidate, David Edevbie.

Oborevwori and Okowa unmistakably understood what Tinubu would do in 2027 if they refused his plot to commandeer Delta State.

The president had discussed separately with Oborevwori, other South-South and South-East PDP governors, and made his propositions on 2027 known to them.

Most of the PDP first term governors agreed to work for the president in 2027 while Tinubu also helps to guarantee their re-election.

Deal

 The arrangement later changed from supporting the president as PDP governor but abandoning the PDP for the APC for a foolproof deal.

Many PDP political strategists in Delta State struck down on the plan when they heard about it.

The governor and PDP leadership in the state denied media reports linking him to a plan to defect to the APC.

But since December or thereabouts, last year, Oborevwori, Okowa and their inner circle have reviewed and re-appraised the proposal, and the inescapable conclusion was that with their party (PDP) in tatters, no thanks to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who sees the presidential ticket as his life entitlement, the PDP stands no chance against Tinubu in 2027.

Mobilizing the PDP stakeholders to wreck the party in the state was an uphill task, but the actuality that whether they agree or not, the APC would still take over the state in 2027, made the majority to bow to pressure. 

The rest is history as the resolution to bury the PDP in Delta State glided with an undersized opposition last Wednesday at an expanded meeting in the Government House, Asaba.

  Fear

 However, there is a palpable fear that the APC strategists cleverly lured Oborevwori and Okowa into their fold and destroyed the PDP, and would uncover their real plan in the party’s primary for the 2027 governorship election.

Actually, sources told Sunday Vanguard that there was no deal on the ground with the APC leadership detailing who gets what under the new arrangement as it naturally should be because the governor, by the virtue of his position, should be the leader of his new party in Delta.

“But let us assume that the governor will naturally assume the leadership of the APC in the state, what happens to his supporters. How will they be accommodated in the new scheme of things?” one of the sources said.

“Now don’t forget that there are big politicians in the APC that the governor and his people are coming to meet in the party. 

“You have people like Senator Omo-Agege and Minister Festus Keyamo among others. 

“How will the interests of these politicians be married with those of Oborevwori and his teeming supporters?”

Sunday Vanguard learnt that barring last minute change of plans, negotiations on how to accommodate the governor’s supporters in the APC with the party’s leadership may begin this week.

Another issue that may prove contentious, according to sources, is how the Ibori camp may take the defection of Oborevwori and Okowa into the APC in Delta.

Recall that Ibori had related with the APC in Delta more than the PDP since the run-up to the 2023 elections when Okowa blocked his candidate (David Edevbie) from succeeding him on the platform of the PDP.

“Being a friend of President Tinubu, Ibori has, for some time now, associated more with the APC than the PDP. It is only that he has not officially defect to the APC”, a source said.

“Now, the question is, how will Ibori, Okowa and Oborevwori see eye to eye in the APC after this defection”.

Following the Oborevwori, Okowa and supporters defection to the APC, it was gathered that Ibori may be under pressure to return to active participation in the affairs of the PDP in Delta.

  Will Fubara Capitulate?

 As the gale of defections in Delta State blows, supporters of the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, have become apprehensive over the possibility of his defection from the PDP to the APC.

In the wake of the political crisis in 2023, it was rumored that Fubara wanted to dump the PDP for the APC as a way of seeking presidential cover from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to escape impeachment threat.

But Wike’s strong collaborator, Chief Tony Okocha, became the caretaker committee chairman of the APC in Rivers State and did not look like he would grant the governor’s indulgences in the party.

Meanwhile, feelers from London, United Kingdom, where Tinubu and Fubara ostensibly met in a closed-door meeting for close to four hours, indicate that both men discussed the probability of curbing the six-month duration of the emergency rule in Rivers.

Tinubu, in a desperate and predisposed move to douse the political tension in Rivers, declared a state of emergency on March 18, as the 27-man House of Assembly members loyal to the FCT minister and Fubara’s estranged political godfather, Wike, escalated the plot to impeach the governor.

The declaration led to the undemocratic suspension of Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Ordu, and the entire House of Assembly.

Barely 24 hours later, Tinubu announced the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas (retd.) as the Sole Administrator of the state.

London pact

 Our source hinted that the meeting with Tinubu in London was at the behest of Fubara, who departed Nigeria for Frankfurt, Germany, en route to London last week to seal a pact with the president to save his political career.

According to a source, Fubara was allegedly given two conditions to facilitate his early return to power.

One of the conditions was for the governor to dump the PDP and join the APC, and if he must stay in the PDP, he must ensure that Tinubu garners 25 percent of the votes cast in 2027.

Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, the director-general of Simplified Movement Worldwide (SMW), a grassroots political group of Fubara, responded that the story of the governor’s defection “is in the realm of speculation, and we cannot say anything categorical on that.”

Emeka Idika, media aide to Evans Bipi, said, “There is no official statement from the Presidency or the governor himself. Everything is a rumor, and we are unable to confirm this with certainty. However, we can assure you that we stand by the governor no matter what.

“We are there wherever he is. The governor’s grassroots political organization is called SIM. We are unable to deviate from the governor’s course. For him, that is our collective position”

.Eno indistinguishable

 Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has been fraternizing with Tinubu and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, since his assumption of office in 2023.

But before now, he used to assure Akwa Ibom people that his close relationship with the APC leaders was merely to get favour from the centre by attracting federal presence to the state, especially infrastructure, such as the construction of the Ibom Deep Sea port project. 

At a media briefing, last year, he had claimed that the people were misreading his body language by speculating that he was planning to dump the PDP for the APC.

However, Eno’s recent remarks on his unwavering support for Tinubu’s re-election bid have forced many observers of political happenings in the state, and ardent supporters of the PDP, to ponder if he was being truthful or merely trying to douse tension over his hobnobbing with the APC. 

The majority of Akwa Ibom people have come to conclude that Eno’s consorting with the APC leaders indicates that the APC was blackmailing him for reasons only known to him and his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel.

About two weeks ago, while flagging off the 65km Akwa Ibom section of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway in the  Nsit Atai local government area,  the governor openly declared his support for the re-election of Tinubu in 2027.

His words: “Let me end by assuring our people-loving president that he will complete eight years because we will stand by him, and this is the truth. He cannot start this work and abandon it. Somebody else may not finish it. 

“Our prayer is to pray for Mr President for good health to complete what he has started, and not abandon the East-West Road”.

Also while addressing attendees at the ‘Easter Evening of Hymns’ held Easter Monday at the International Christian Worship Centre, Uyo, Eno had asserted, “Tonight, as a servant of God that God has given the privilege to serve Akwa Ibom as governor, I want to say that I have fulfilled my ministry of reconciliation that God laid in my hands for Akwa Ibom.

“While I was campaigning, I said by the grace of God, we will bring all of us as Akwa Ibomites under one roof. Tonight, that dream is fulfilled. We have heard the PDP choir sing here tonight.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Friday met with the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Abuja, amidst speculation that Kwankwaso may soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to Leadership Newspaper, the two prominent political figures were spotted together after Jumaat prayers at a mosque in Abuja.

El-Rufai, who was accompanied by his eldest son, Bello El-Rufai, exchanged pleasantries with the former Governor of Kano State.

Naija News reports that the meeting has come amid growing speculation that Kwankwaso, alongside his political base in the NNPP, may soon announce a move to the APC.

Recent reports indicate that Kwankwaso and the NNPP are currently weighing their political options, including a potential alliance either with the APC or the opposition coalition led by Atiku Abubakar.

A source with knowledge of the situation, who spoke to Punch on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Kwankwaso and the NNPP were unlikely to contest the 2027 elections independently, as they did in 2023.

“What I can confirm is that Kwankwaso and the NNPP will not contest independently as they did in the 2023 elections. Considering the current political landscape, they are weighing the possibility of either joining President Tinubu’s APC or aligning with the coalition led by Atiku, el-Rufai, and others,” the source disclosed.

NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, also confirmed in an interview with Punch that the party was indeed considering these political options.

He stated, “Well, so far, what I’ll say is this: in the NNPP, we tend to, at least from our own history as the Kwankwasiyya movement, wait till midterm. May 29th will be the midterm for this administration. It will be two years down, and two years to go. That is when we believe that proper politicking will commence.

“So, yes, we are talking, and we’ve been talking. But you’ll recall that at that time, I told you I didn’t want to mention specifically the groups or persons or movements that are in conversation with us. That is still the position now.

“You’ll recall that there have been many publications in newspapers and online, insinuating that Senator Kwankwaso is moving to the APC, that it is imminent and all that. That is just the nature of the game. Some people are pressing or pushing that narrative for their selfish reasons.

“But the bottom line is that very soon, they will begin to hear from us. We will tell our supporters what we are doing. There are basically three cards on the table: either we remain in the NNPP and continue with those who joined us all the way or we form some sort of coalition with Atiku, others; or we form an alliance with the ruling party. I am not saying any of these is the case now. But these are the three basic options that could happen.”

The Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Solomon Adeola, has credited President Bola Tinubu for rescuing Nigeria’s economy from potential collapse, citing the removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira as pivotal actions in stabilising the country’s finances.

Speaking on Saturday during the 2nd Edition of his Town Hall Meeting, Mega Empowerment, and Thank You Tour held in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Adeola emphasized the gravity of the economic challenges faced by Nigeria under the previous administration, particularly the heavy borrowing required to maintain fuel subsidies and stabilize the naira.

Adeola explained that the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari borrowed heavily to fund fuel subsidy payments and defend the naira against the dollar.

“Not less than $400 billion was borrowed under the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to stabilize the naira against the dollar, and this is a fiscal policy that has really left our country’s economy in a bad state,” Adeola stated.

He further revealed that the Buhari government also borrowed trillions of naira to fund the fuel subsidy, which, he argued, disproportionately benefited less than 1% of the Nigerian population.

The massive borrowing, he said, had put the country’s economy under immense pressure and set the stage for the urgent need for reform.

Naija News reports that Adeola commended President Tinubu for his decisive action in removing the fuel subsidy and floating the naira, actions he described as crucial steps toward rescuing the nation’s struggling economy.

“All the reforms being undertaken by the incumbent administration in the country are to secure the future of the unborn generations of Nigerians,” he said.

The senator stressed that while these reforms may have come with short-term challenges, they were necessary to address the structural issues that had plagued the country’s economy for years.

He urged Nigerians to be patient with the Tinubu administration, assuring them that the current economic policies were already beginning to show positive results.

A former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has officially announced his intention to run for the Nasarawa State governorship in the 2027 general elections on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.

Adamu, who served as IGP from 2019 to 2021 under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, made the declaration during a meeting with members of the State Working Committee of the APC in Lafia.

The former IGP stated that his decision to run was motivated by a “clarion call” from the people of Nasarawa. According to him, the people have expressed their belief in his leadership abilities and experience.

“I am answering the call of my people who believe I can serve and move Nasarawa forward. My administration, by the grace of God, will be inclusive, transparent, and focused on delivering tangible development across all sectors,” Adamu pledged.

His declaration adds another significant name to the growing list of aspirants eyeing the governorship seat in 2027. Governor Abdullahi Sule, the incumbent governor, is currently serving his second term in office under the APC.

The Oyo State Police Command, in a major operation, uncovered a human trafficking ring in Ibadan, the State capital and rescued 83 individuals, including a child.
Naija Naija learnt that the victims were held for an undisclosed period in a house at the Orogun area of the state.

The police in a terse statement disclosed that the victims, believed to be nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were lured to Nigeria under the pretence of being offered employment opportunities.

The perpetrators reportedly extorted significant sums of money in dollars from the victims’ parents and relatives as part of the elaborate scheme.

The rescued individuals are currently at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where authorities are conducting further investigations to ascertain the full details of the case.

At least 12 people were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists along Kirawa road and Bokko Ghide community in Pulka District, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State in the past 24 hours.

The Emir of Gwoza, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, confirmed to Vanguard that two of the victims killed during the ambush along Kirawa road on Friday, April 25, 2025, were members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). The remaining 10 victims, all firewood scavengers, were ambushed and killed on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Timta condemned the spate of killings in Gwoza and other locations, expressing shock at the renewed attacks.

He warned that if these attacks are not addressed, they could undermine the Borno State Government’s ongoing efforts to reconstruct, rehabilitate, and resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs).

These latest attacks came just a day after Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, appealed to the military to intensify operations to eliminate insurgents from their enclaves. Governor Zulum made the call during a courtesy visit by a high-level Federal Government delegation led by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, and other military chiefs at the Government House in Maiduguri.

“It is unfortunate that two of my people, who are members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, were ambushed and killed along Kirawa road on Friday, while another 10 civilians who went to a nearby bush to scavenge firewood were killed today (Saturday), with two others sustaining serious injuries,” Governor Zulum said.

“We have since buried the victims today according to their religious rites, while the injured ones were evacuated to Maiduguri for treatment. Let me use this opportunity to pray to Allah to grant Aljanatul Firdaus to the souls of the departed, and quick recovery to the injured ones.”

Timta expressed concern that despite the efforts of the government and military to manage the over-a-decade-long Boko Haram crisis, more action is needed in terms of technological warfare and the use of sophisticated equipment to effectively combat the terrorists.

“I can confirm to you that these renewed attacks would demoralize our resilient people who have started warming up for this year’s cropping season, as many would be scared from going to their farms,” Timta lamented

Armed bandits have reportedly killed five traders and injured seven others in a fresh attack at Yanriwa Market in the Kwande local government area of Benue State.

Naija News learnt that the armed gunmen invaded the market at about 3 pm when traders were transacting business and began shooting sporadically, leading to the death of five persons.

A resident of the community, Lawrence Akerigba, in an interview with Leadership Newspaper, lamented that the federal government reneged on its promise to deploy additional security operatives to the communities following the 2024 Christmas Day attack, where over 20 farmers were killed.

He explained that the herdsmen have blocked the Anwase road, where the Christmas attack and killings took place, “as I am talking to you, that road is no longer passable.”

Akerigba stated that most schools, churches and markets in the area have been shut due to the herdsmen’s activities.

He said, “Up till now, nothing of that nature has been done. Government has abandoned us to our fate.

“The attack by the herdsmen happened around 3pm in Liev 1 at Usambe in Ikyurav ya.

“However, the joy of selling turns bloody when the herdsmen invaded the market while people were buying and selling and started shooting at the people.

“Five persons were killed on the spot and 7 others sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. Some other people are still missing and the search is still ongoing.

“The security men on the ground are trying so much to prevent the attacks, but because they are few in number, their efforts are not much felt.”

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu State, will reopen from Monday.

Naija News reports that FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, made this known while speaking with journalists on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Orah said the re-opening followed the completion of emergency runway repairs at the airport, stressing that the runway is certified suitable for landings and takeoffs by the agency’s engineers.

FAAN appreciates all airport users and stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation during the closure period, assuring the public that all measures were taken in the interest of safety.

Orah said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, will reopen for flight operations on Monday, 28th April 2025, following the completion of emergency runway repairs.

“On April 18th, 2025, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced that due to a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway, the runway would be shut down for emergency repairs.

“The work was scheduled to begin on April 22nd and conclude before reopening on May 6th, 2025. However, rehabilitation works on the runway have been completed, and the runway is cleared for landings and takeoffs by the engineers working with FAAN.”

A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Nwosu, cautioned the Federal Government on Saturday against promoting the idea of citizens obtaining firearm licenses, arguing that such a move would exacerbate the existing insecurity issues in the nation.

Nwosu, who previously served as Chief of Staff to former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, expressed his concerns during a virtual media briefing.

Naija News reports that Nwosu’s remarks were in response to a statement made on Friday by former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung, rights activist Omoyele Sowore, and other members of the Coalition of Nigerian Patriots, who advocated for the right of Nigerians to possess firearms for self-defense.

Nwosu countered this perspective, asserting that allowing citizens to acquire guns is not a feasible solution to the ongoing violence in the affected areas.

He said, “I don’t support people being encouraged to carry arms around because it will become a lawless country.

“Instead, I think more security agents should be deployed to those troubled areas so this problem can be solved.

“When individuals start carrying arms, it connotes trouble. Some people can easily get angry and allow such emotion to push them to do what they are not supposed to do.

“Besides, these bandits are sometimes from outside the country. They are not people from those communities.

“They come from outside, carry out their act and run back to where they are coming from. My other suggestion is that there should be community policing.

“There should be the courage to go down to the rural area in which, as I said, it’s one of the most difficult areas of the government.”

The APC leader also commended President Bola Tinubu for assigning his security chiefs the responsibility of stopping the violence and reinstating peace in the impacted communities.

He stated that this reflects the true essence of a leader who prioritizes the safety and well-being of his constituents.

“I also want to commend President Bola Tinubu. He has also put in the work to ensure that these killings stop.

“I have had meetings with the security chiefs and heard the NSA say that the President had given them directive that this killing has to stop and they are doing it,” he stated

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised alarm over the growing trend of transactional politics in Nigeria, where politicians allegedly bankroll young people to harass and discredit advocates of good governance on social media.

Speaking at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C. in a video which started trending on Thursday, Obi condemned the disturbing practice, describing it as a betrayal of the very youth whose future is at stake.

“In the transactional politics of Nigeria, some people pay them to cause confusion. Go to social media, those that are being paid ₦20,000, ₦40,000 monthly to abuse you are the same youths you’re fighting for their live because I am over 60 and I have few years to go,” he said.

Obi called the situation both tragic and ironic: the same young Nigerians who should be champions of reform are being weaponized against it—used to defend a broken system they suffer under.

He stressed the urgent need for a political awakening among the youth, urging them to reject crumbs from corrupt politicians and instead embrace knowledge, critical thinking, and civic responsibility.

“We must move away from politics driven by money and manipulation. Our youths must be empowered with knowledge, not stipends to insult those seeking change,” he added.

His remarks come against the backdrop of increasing online misinformation and targeted harassment in Nigeria’s digital political space, especially aimed at opposition voices and reform advocates.

Watch the video below:

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Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised alarm over the growing trend of transactional… pic.twitter.com/6FBdwt12z2

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) April 25, 2025